


in which carol, thor and val run a magical movie theater in 1980s san francisco

by Skyuni123



Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Exactly What It Says on the Tin, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Magic, Obscure Movie References, Threesome - F/F/M, movie theater
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 14:07:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21321436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyuni123/pseuds/Skyuni123
Summary: It’s 1986. Carol, Thor and Val work in a kind of shitty back alley movie theater in Castro, San Francisco. It’s a decent place to work, in a neighbourhood that’s welcoming, and a time that’s rocky.The movie theater is also almost definitely magical.More on that later.
Relationships: Brunnhilde | Valkyrie/Carol Danvers/Thor
Kudos: 7





	in which carol, thor and val run a magical movie theater in 1980s san francisco

It’s a rundown movie theater in the back end of town. No-one really knows why it still exists, or why it keeps hiring staff, but people come and watch movies at it all the same, even though it never plays the most modern or the most well-loved films, and instead shows a mismatch of Italian Neorealist films alongside cult classics and animated flicks.

It’s an oddity, but well-loved, despite its strange catalogue and even stranger clientele, and never seemed to close.

“Morning, campers.” Tony says, and dumps a stack of schedules down on the Candy Bar. “We have  _ SpaceCamp _ ,  _ Rocky Horror,  _ two K-dramas and  _ The Bicycle Thief  _ this week. Also, someone spilled a giant Raspberry Romance down the front aisle at the 3am showing, so one of you has to clean that up.”

“ _ SpaceCamp. _ ” Carol says, flatly, at the exact same time Thor exclaims, from somewhere deep in the back of the foyer, “ _ SpaceCamp?” _

“Who,” Carol continues, “the hell is coming to see  _ SpaceCamp? _ ”

“Bunch of twelve year olds with nothing else to do?” Tony says, fiddling with the lock on the till. “I don’t know - Kelly Capshaw as a spaceship captain? Thought that’d be right up your alley. It’s very Sally Ride and all.” 

“Yes, but I like good movies.” Carol says, and knocks the till. The drawer flies open at last.

“I should fix that…” Tony says, frowning down at the till as he unloads the morning’s float into it. “I’d just need-”

“If you take that away to be fixed we will never see it again.” Thor rumbles, emerging from the cleaning cupboard, hair mussed. “I believe we used to have two tills?”

“Mmmm.” Carol agrees, “I think so. Many moons ago. When our recumbent boss hadn’t taken one away for ‘fixing’ and never gave it back.” 

“I’ll get around to sorting it, I just-”

“Thanks, Tony.” She replies, and guides him away from the till and back towards his office. “We love and appreciate all you’ve done for us.”

“I’ll do it eventually-”

“Are you bitchy because Jarvis is away?” Thor asks, leaning over the counter. He’s a fair sight taller than Tony, so it’s easier to recline rather than stare straight down.

Jarvis is the theatre’s actual manager. Tony is just kinda the front. Jarvis does most of the work. He is also on holiday. He has been on holiday for six weeks. No-one really knows when he is coming back. 

“I do not bitch.” Tony says, bitchingly. “And no. No slacking!”

Tony disappears inside with a faux-wounded look back at the pair of them, but doesn’t say anything more. 

“Find anything useful?” Carol snarks, leaning back against the counter and surveying Thor with a critical eye, “You know, down where all the dust mites live?”

“We’re nearly out of paper towels, there’s only one bag of popcorn kernels left and I believe the reel for  _ Police Academy 3  _ has a leaking bottle of cleaning solution sitting on top of it.” Thor shakes the dust out of his hair and onto the counter. He looks at it distastefully for a moment. “Am I dust-free now?”

“Nope.” Carol replies, cheerfully. “Why don’t you clean that up and rescue  _ Police Academy  _ while I tell-  _ politely ask  _ Tony to buy some more popcorn?”

Thor agrees and disappears back into the cleaning cupboard. He has to bend down a fair amount to actually fit in there, but it’s not the worst view in the world.

It’s 1986. Carol and Thor work in a kind of shitty back alley movie theater in Castro, San Francisco. It’s a decent place to work, in a neighbourhood that’s welcoming, and a time that’s rocky.

The movie theater is also almost definitely magical.

More on that later.

  
  


“How many people do you think were in the 3am session?” Carol digs a thick chisel into the Raspberry Romance - a horrifying pink slushy, with two straws (meant for a couple, or two strangers who don’t mind getting a little intimate over a bucket of sugar) - which has solidified into a sticky, gross mess on the carpet in the front row of the theatre.

“Probably just this guy?” Thor also has a chisel, and is managing to make some purchase on the disgusting mess.

“True.”

The pair dig away in silence for a few moments. It is not a great look, and an even worse feeling.

“What do you think this is made out of?” Thor ponders, holding the chisel high, a thick blob of Raspberry Romance stuck to one end, “It is foul.”

“I asked Tony once,” Carol manages to break off a chunk of the goo, “He said I was better off not knowing.”

“I drank six of these last week,” Thor says, looking horrified. “In a row.”

“They’ve probably given you powers.”

“Uh… hi?” There’s a voice from the entrance to the cinema. A new voice - someone who doesn’t sound completely insane (so it’s probably not one of their customers). “There’s someone in here, I heard talking. Can you help me?”

“Bags not.” Carol hisses, ducking further down in front of the seats so the customer - or whoever they may be - doesn’t see her.

Thor looks wounded, and turns his puppy dog gaze up a notch. “Can we throw for it?”

Carol considers, just for a second. She rolls her eyes. “Fine.” 

Thor wins rock, paper, scissors, and he sinks back to the floor and folds neatly into a loose siddhasana with a smug grin. 

She just throws him the bird and stands up, expecting the worst. “Hi, how can I-”

And she’s totally taken aback. 

The woman is probably their age - and she looks far more put together than the pair of them. She’s dressed in a rough leather jacket and jeans, and her elaborate box braids are held back from the front of her head with a rainbow bandana.

She’s also absolutely, completely stunning.

“Uh- yeah.” Carol wavers, just for a second, but this is a little much, okay? “Hi. Um. I’m Carol. What- what did you need help with?”

“Are you having a stroke?” Thor mutters from beside her ankle, “You sound like you are. I don’t know CPR, so it would be preferable if you weren’t.” 

She kicks him in the thigh with the toe of her sneaker, and continues to beam at the woman in something that feels a lot like gay panic. 

“Yes. Hi.” The woman says, and wow, she even  _ speaks  _ nicely too. This whole thing is very unfair. “I’m Val. I’m here about the job interview? Mr Stark just said to come in.”

“Job interview?” Thor mutters, and then raises up on his knees to see over the seats. “Stark said nothing about a job-”

And he goes blank too, just for a second, because Thor likes stunning people as much as Carol does, and Val is just… very stunning.   


But, because he’s also a bastard, he recovers a little faster and beams at the new woman. “Hi. I’m Thor. This is Carol. We’re both covered in trash, right now, so we’ll pass on a more proper greeting until later. If you go back out to the foyer and give me a minute, I’ll fetch Stark for you.”

“Thank you.” Val says, and smiles a little at him, because it’s very hard to not fall a little in love with Thor upon first meeting him. 

Carol knows from experience. 

With a wave, Val disappears back out into the foyer, and Thor and Carol are just left, staring after her. 

“She was…” Thor begins.

“Dibs.” Carol beats him to it. “Totally dibs.”

“You can’t dibs a person!” Thor says, and peels off his gloves. “Besides, she mightn’t even like women.”

“She mightn’t even like men.” Carol bites back, and takes her gloves off as well. “She was wearing a rainbow bandana and a leather jacket. Of course she likes women. That’s basically our dress code.”

Thor considers it for a second. “You’re probably right - but putting dibs on a person is weird. Can we just be friends with her first?”

Carol sighs, but he’s got a point. “Yeah. If she gets hired, let’s be friends with her first.” 

They leave the remains of the Raspberry Romance where it is and go out to the foyer to meet the mystery woman in person.   


A new staff member? Exciting times! 

**Author's Note:**

> hit me up on the [ tumblr ](http://eph-em-era.tumblr.com)
> 
> magical movie theatres aus are the new coffee shop aus
> 
> i am writing this fic from personal experience


End file.
